Welcome Back to "Pat's Top 25 NBA Players Countdown". On Sunday, July 22nd, 2018, I presented  you'll with my reasoning for creating this blog. Also, I introduced the criteria I'm using to determine who's a top 25 player "from my perspective". A big part of using this criteria was to give players who only been in the league 2-3 years  a chance to make the cut. I'm only analyzing based on the past four NBA seasons. As I stated previously, this is not a lifetime achievement award list, but rather a "Who's THE BEST NOW LIST." This list gives recognition and praise to NBA Rising-Stars, All-Stars, and Superstars. The past four seasons accolades such as All-Star appearances, All- NBA teams, All- Defensive teams, Season statistics, Championships and Final MVP's. Advanced Stats are useful as well, because they provide a more in depth look into a players impact beyond the box score.

Furthermore, as I alluded to in the previous blog I picked the best 25 players out of a pool of 50 players . After thorough research and putting the final analysis on players and their impact to the league and their respective franchises. I'm finally able to release a list that I'm sure about. Before we get to the last two players to make the top 25. Here's a recap of some players who just missed the cut.

• Nikola Jokic *Denver Nuggets
• Andre Drummond *Detroit Pistons
• Devin Booker *Phoenix Suns
• Kevin Love *Cleveland Cavaliers
• Kemba Walker *Charlotte Hornets
• C.J. McCollum *Portland Trail Blazers

Now here are the 25th and 24th selection of Elite ballers in the NBA.

• (25.)  SG Bradley Beal *Washington Wizards. 
  

  

  - The sixth year shooting guard out of Florida University was the final selection. Bradley Beal's cumulative stat line of the past four seasons , (19.6 Pts, 3.7 Rebs, 3.5 Apg, 1.1 Stl, 46 Fg%, 40 3pt% and 79 Ft%). His stat line is nearly identical to the younger  Devin Booker's stat line of (19.8 Pts, 3.3 Rebs, 3.5 Ast, .8 Stls, 43 Fg%, 38 3pt% and 85 Ft%). So Why I chose Beal? Well I chose Bradley Beal, because he's slightly more efficient from the three point line and has a better field goal percentage . Also, Beal had 6.9 Win Shares last year compared to Devin Booker's 2.4. Furthermore, Beal alongside back court mate John Wall, have been the driving force to leading the Washington Wizards to the playoffs three of the past four seasons and one win away from an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2017. Bradley Beal was awarded his first all star appearance this past season and produce a career high in assist, rebounds and steals.   He averaged (22.6 Pts, 4.5Rebs, 4.5Ast, 1.2 Stl, 46 Fg%, 38 3pt% & 79 Ft%.) Bradley Beal has a chance to raise his stock and production in the NBA, but if the Wizards can't manage to get out of the first and second round , he'll always be overshadowed and underappreciated .  
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• (24.) C Karl-Anthony Towns *Minnesota Timberwolves.
  

  

   Towns continues his path of becoming a Superstar in this league one day. He's an extremely skilled big man. He can shoot threes, dribble, Face up and post-up. Through his first three seasons in the NBA he has averaged a double -double every season. He has a cumulative stat line of (21.6 Pts, 12.7 Rebs, 1.4 Blks, 2.4 Ast, 54 Fg%, 39 3pt% & 84 Ft%.) In 2016 he won  Rookie Of the Year averaging (18.3 Pts, 10.5 Rebs, 1.7 Blks, 2.0 Ast, 54 Fg%, 34 3pt% & 81% from the foul line). Towns played his best last year and was named an all star for it. He averaged ( 21.3 Pts, 12.3 Rebs, 2.4 Ast, 1.4 Blks, 55 Fg%, 42 3pt% and 86 Ft%), finished second in win shares with 14.0  and made the All-NBA third team. His scoring went down from 25.1 Pts, to 21.3 Pts playing alongside Jimmy Butler, but the team played better and saw their win total increase from 31 in 2017 to 47 in 2018. They managed to beat the Denver Nuggets led by Nikola Jokic in a win in advance scenario ,winning at home in an overtime thriller 112-106. One knock against Towns is his lackluster performance in last year playoffs against the Houston Rockets. His scoring went from 21.3 Ppg  to 15.2 Ppg  and his field goal percentage went down nine points from 55% to 46%. He played terrible in game one scoring eight points in 40 minutes of a game they could have won only losing by three, 104-101 and scored five points in game 2 playing only 23 minutes and was blown out 102-82. Still, His upside is bright and perhaps he was just nervous considering those was his first two playoff games . Towns definitely have to step it up even further this year as the west appears to be tougher with the addition of LeBron James to the Lakers and the Nuggets right on their heels. 

Thank you'll for viewing this blog. Let me know what you think, don't be afraid to leave comments and express your opinion. Also, stay tuned I look forward to providing you'll with the 23rd and 22nd rank player on Friday, July 27th, 2018!